Olayiwola Matthew
The trial of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, continued on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice James Omotosho. The hearing featured the cross-examination of the third Prosecution Witness (PW3), Colonel Adebisi Adesanya (retd).
During his testimony on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, Adesanya alleged that Mamman spent N20 million from funds earmarked for the Mambilla Hydro Power project to pay for one year of lodging at a resort.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Mamman on a 12-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering amounting to N33.8 billion.
Adesanya, the Chief Security Officer and owner of Sami Court Resort Limited, testified that Mamman made payments to the resort between August 2021 and August 2022. He said, “Sami Court Resort Limited is a service apartment where people come to lodge and stay for a long time. You only book in with your clothes, then any other thing is serviced by the apartment.”
The witness also disclosed that he was questioned by the EFCC on September 6, 2023, over inflows into the resort’s United Bank for Africa (UBA) account from 2019 to 2021. Adesanya identified Exhibit PWC, an invoice issued to Mamman after his payment of N20 million for lodging, covering August 30, 2021, to August 30, 2022.
Providing details of the payments, Adesanya testified that:
N5 million was deposited by Golden Bond Nigeria Limited on September 6, 2021.
N5 million was paid by Mintedge Nigeria Limited on January 23, 2022.
N2.5 million was deposited by Abdullahi Suleiman on March 9, 2022.
N7.5 million was deposited by A.I.J Global Tools Limited on May 10, 2022.
All payments were linked to Mamman and covered the same lodging period. Adesanya clarified that the payments were for a one-bedroom rental.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, Femi Atteh, SAN, Adesanya admitted his role as the resort’s Chief Security Officer. Justice Omotosho adjourned the trial to January 13, 2025, for continuation.